Welcome
To the Moses E. Cheeks Foundation Slam Dunk For Diabetes Basketball Day Camps located in Chicago, Lisle and Machesney Park, IL and Schererville, IN.   They are FREE, not-for-profit, instructional day camps for youths who have been diagnosed with diabetes.  Currently, they are the only basketball day camps for kids with diabetes in the United States.

The camps, which are open to youths from the ages of 5 to 18, teach the fundamentals of living with diabetes and a place where participants gain confidence in a safe, structured and supportive atmosphere.  Each camp is designed to teach its campers the basics of the relationship between food, exercise and insulin as well as learning basketball skills.  It is also designed to teach the campers how sports, illnesses and stress affect their blood sugars and how to make the necessary corrections to their insulin intake.  Most importantly, the campers learn that diabetes doesn't have to prevent them from living full, active, productive and satisfying lives. 

Our main camp, held at the De LaSalle Institute*, runs for 5 days and
we offer two sessions per day; morning (for ages 5-10) and afternoon
(for ages 1-18).  Space is limited to 50-60 participants per session. 

In 2009, we opened up a second camp in Lisle, IL. This camp runs for three days (mornings only) and has one session for both age groups.  This is limited to 50-60 participants only.   In 2010, we added a third camp located near Rockford, IL, and in 2011, we added a fourth camp in Shererville, IN. 

Feel free to browse our website to learn more about the camp and diabetes.  Click on the link below to watch our video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPFxojkegG4
Monica 



*"We are the campers at the Moses Cheeks Slam Dunk for Diabetes Camp in Chicago, Illinois. We all have diabetes, but we are all athletes. We are athletes because we have spent the week learning that we CAN be athletes. Some of us wear insulin pumps, some of us use insulin syringes, but all of us have to test our blood sugars to stay healthy while we play. The Slam Dunk for Diabetes Camp is a safe place where we can be like all kids who love basketball and we don't feel different for having to monitor ourselves while playing. We are all colors, all sizes and we come from all over, but we share a bond as kids living with diabetes. This camp has shown us that there are kids like ourselves, and we can play as hard as anyone else. For this one week in the summer, we come together without having to explain ourselves. We come together to play ball and we play hard."

For further information on our camps contact:
Monica Joyce
Camp Director
1-773-636-3353
jiemjoyce@msn.com